Coronavirus chief Nachman Ash noted 227 cases of the coronavirus were confirmed, Thursday, in an interview with the Kan public broadcaster. He said the infection rate had increased to 0.6% and that he was concerned by the spread of the virus in different cities across the country.
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The last time Israel confirmed over 200 cases in a single day was in April.
In response to the uptick in infections, the Health Ministry reinstated the requirement to wear masks indoors. The mandate was set to go into effect beginning 12:00 p.m., Friday.
The Health Ministry has also recommended people wear masks in large outdoor gatherings and that unvaccinated or high-risk individuals do not take part in mass events.
At a press conference, Friday, Ash said: "The outbreak that was centered in Binyamina and Modiin is spreading to additional places like Kfar Saba and Ramle, Herzliya, and other cities. Our goal is to get control and bring morbidity down to a minimum by cutting off the chain of infection. We are prepared to carry out widespread testing, and I call on those who need to come and get tested."
He said, "It's important that those who were in contact with a verified coronavirus, even if they've been vaccinated, go and get tested because the vaccinated can become infected and infect others."
As for the issue of mandatory quarantine, Ash said: "Maintaining quarantine is our Achilles' heel, and because we don't make a point of it, dangerous variants enter the country and the spread [of the virus] continues."
"A child who was overseas and comes to school – that's not OK and the parents need to be told as much," he said.
On Thursday, the Health Ministry announced water samples taken recently from sewage water in the southern city of Ashkelon were found to contain the coronavirus variant originally detected in India, also known as the Delta variant, raising concerns residents have been infected with the virus.
The ministry requested anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or fatigue or who suspects they may have contracted the virus be tested for COVID-19 to prevent an outbreak in the city.
It emphasized: "There are various outbreak centers, where there are confirmed cases, while in Ashkelon, the number of confirmed cases is low in relation to the findings in the sewage. As a result, we ask the public to adhere to guidelines and go and get tested" to prevent further outbreaks.
On Wednesday, Israel reinstated the coronavirus cabinet as the country confirmed 169 new cases of the virus, a record high not seen since April. On that day, 24,373 tests were carried out for an infection rate of 0.7%.
The government said a plan to stop the variant originally detected in India would be released to the public in the coming days.
Also on Wednesday, the IDF Homefront Command said it would set up seven COVID screening centers at outbreak hotspots. Likewise, there are plans to increase the number of sample collection centers to 30 nationwide.
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